THERE'S A KILLER IN THE HOUSE!
Sat Jul 21 20:19:32 2001EXPOSED! Reality Show's behind-the-scenes secret
By Steven Strauss
Big Brother's scheming sexpot Shannon Dragoo has blood on her hands! GLOBE has learned that the 5-foot-9-stunner-who's proven to be a master at backstabbing and using her sex appeal to manipulate fellow housemates on the CBS reality series-killed a grandfather of six in a horrifying high-speed car crash.
The curvy beauty and two-time cover girl for the Texas Swimsuit Calendar was later convicted of "careless driving causing death." Deliveryman Roger Jacobson, 31, says he nearly became a victim of the fatal crash on an interstate highway near Colorado Springs, Colo., Sept. 18, 1998.
Jacobson was driving south in the left lane, when a blue Ford Expedition - driven by Shannon and zooming along at an estimated 85 mph - roared by him on the right. Without a signal or other warning, the SUV cut into his delivery wan's lane.
"It happened so quickly that I was unable to avoid a collision," he reveals.
Jacobson managed to keep his vehicle under control, pull onto the median and stop. But Shannon's Expedition, which had struck the right side of his van, spun out of control.
"The SUV went across the median and began to roll as it entered the northbound lanes," according to the official police report. Shannon's Expedition rolled into the path of an oncoming Dodge Intrepid sedan driven by 66-year old Jack LaSalle, a Korean War veteran and retired high school teach. LaSalle, who had three grown kids and six grandchildren couldn't avoid the SUV and slammed into it with tremendous force. The impact knocked the Expedition over the top of his sedan and it continued to roll off the road onto the dirt shoulder. LaSalle was killed instantly, say cops.
Miraculously, Shannon, a former college volleyball star, survived. She was rushed to the hospital, where doctors worked on her fractured pelvis and broken left arm.
While there was no evidence of drugs or alcohol, Shannon was found guilty of causing LaSalle's death and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, $438 in court costs and attend a defensive driving course. LaSalle's widow Janice tells GLOBE she was unaware that Shannon was on Big Brother 2 - where she's been using her sexy wiles to charm the other contestants, especially doctor Will.
Janice says Shannon has never apologized for killing her husband. "She never approached my family or tried to contact us to say she was sorry," the widow tells us. "I told her attorney that I wished his client had at least tried to show some remorse."
Janice informed the lawyer that before he died, her husband had established a fund for a local high school and she hoped Shannon would send a check in his memory.
"A while later, she did," notes Janice.
Now, the widow intends to watch the show and see the woman who killed her husband.
"I always wanted to know what she looks like," says Janice. "I never met her at the trial because she didn't attend it. But it's been three years since Jack died, long enough for me to try and forgive her. It's always helped me to know that she wasn't a no-good drunk or druggie."
The article includes a large picture of Shannon, a small one of all the houseguests posing in front of the house, Shannon's 1997 Texas swimsuit calendar cover and 2 pictures of the crash and one of the victim. The rest of the page has an article THE STEAMY SCENES THAT WERE TOO HOT FOR TV. It talks about the night of the hot tub frolic and has very grainey pictures of...to quote the GLOBE..."Naked Sheryl makes a big splash with Hardy and Mike. Will gets in a lick with Shannon and Hardy calls it a wrap with Nicole's help" It looks like the 3 pictures are screen captures of the video feeds